can ‧ ker /ˈkæŋkə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old North French ; Origin: cancre , from Latin cancer ; ↑ cancer ]
1 . an evil influence that spreads quickly among people and is difficult to destroy:
the canker of violence in modern society
2 . a disease that affects trees or plants